Less than nubile, happily partnered damsel of the sapphic persuasion waits too long to attempt pregnancy. Enlists the use of donor sperm and donor eggs.
One fresh cycle and one frozen embryo transfer later and the dreamed of BFP happens.
She walks down the aisle and marries her sweetheart while 7 months pregnant.
Out comes baby girl , and a whole new life (for all of them).
Fast forward 3 yrs. Baby boy is born, her marriage is made legal and the adventure continues....

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Day 16: Long Exposure

This may be the shortest long-exposure photo of them all: a full moon over Lake Michigan.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

This is the beach where the sand castle builder goes on weekends to sculpt his mini masterpieces.
He looked so well and Zen and relaxed that it took us three visits to realize he was our old ( previous ) super-anxious, crabby, thin and drawn, workaholic mechanic. If you look closely you can see the spire of the castle in the middle of the picture.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Okay, I admit it, this is cheating. I did not see the sun set tonight.
This is from May 2010 when we went away for the weekend to south west Michigan, after I had a big scary bleeding scare at 16 weeks pregnant.
And here we are, miraculously, we an almost two year old girl illuminating our lives:)

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Monday, September 24, 2012

Isobel playing with her water glass and spoon, table awash with water, at our local Ethiopian Restaurant. Water was poured on her head, knee, pants and on the floor, chair and table by the time she was finished! That's my water baby!

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Beachcombers. Remembering stay at home motherhood on a day when my weariness and lingering cold gave me a rare day off work.
Isobel is filling my sandals with sand while I lay on the beach beside her.
Bliss.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

There were many green opportunities today: Isobel colored herself green all over with markers and called it blue! The bathwater which I eventually persuaded her to enter turned a lovely shade of teal green and then Susan went to the gym and saw these pearl-like balance balls. The ivy on our building and fence is a beautiful shade of leaf green but that will have to wait for another green kind of day.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

My two best gals at the beach. Favorite place again. This is Lighthouse Beach in Evanston, Illinois, home to Northwestern University and beautiful beaches and parks. We haven't been here for about two years. We usually go to other beaches that have shallower slopes into the water. Turns out this year this beach has a gentle slope too. This is the kind of beach where its easy to imagine you might be somewhere a little more remote. There are rocks and trees and little inlets at the north of end of the beach. First we met up for an end of summer picnic with some of the baby mamas in our group at a park right by the beach. We had yummy food, wine and snatches of interrupted conversation. Then Susan, Isobel, Aunty Ann ( supplier of books and princess skirts) and I tramped down to the beach and hung out for a couple of hours. The water was a little chilly and so was the air. But I swam anyway. In a borrowed t-shirt and sarong and my undies. I know, I make my life sound idyllic. The family time is the best thing ever. I wish I was off work tomorrow. Alas, no. See you all on day three.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Hi folks, this is blogging from the I phone on my couch. An offering of love and Insert Metaphor are at it again! Photo blogging challenge. I'm still in on day one. This is me chilling on the couch after a late afternoon at the beach with my best girls. Swimming was done by all. ( or zumming) as Isobel calls it. It was chilly but so relaxing. Now she is watching Telly Tubbies in Croatian on u tube while sitting on mama S's lap. Bedtime soon!